What does a trustee do?

A trustee manages trust property under the trust document and applicable law. The trustee must protect property, keep records, avoid improper self-interest, and make distributions according to the trust.

General information

• A current trustee may manage property during the creator's life.
• A successor trustee may step in after incapacity or death.
• The role can last much longer than an executor's role.

Service steps to consider

1. Considering the choice of someone who can manage records and money.
2. Considering whether to name backups.
3. Considering whether to give the trustee access to the trust and funding records when appropriate.

Quick check

• Can this person do the work?
• Do they know where the forms are?
• Did I name a backup?

How Complete Wills can help

Complete Wills' questionnaires let customers name primary and backup executors, trustees, financial agents, and health-care agents. The service can explain what a field asks for. But it cannot select a person, assess a conflict, or decide whether one person may hold several roles in a particular situation. Customer support can explain website features and questionnaire fields, but it cannot choose documents, people, distributions, or legal terms, interpret a completed document, or explain how the law applies to a person's facts. Only a separately engaged licensed attorney may provide legal advice within the attorney's engagement.

Important limits

• These positions carry legal duties. The person named may need to accept the role and, for an estate, receive court appointment.
• A licensed attorney can provide advice when family conflict, business ownership, complex assets, or a questionable decision-maker creates risk. This article gives general information only. A licensed attorney can explain how state law applies to a specific estate plan or document.